A Useful Approach to Listening to Your Dog is Simple Observation

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A recent Dear Inquisitive Canine reader asked about her beagle Bill and his enjoyment of playing with larger dogs. I explained the similarities of how humans of different shapes and sizes can learn to play with one another without getting hurt. The best way to tell if your own dog is enjoying him or herself is to pay attention to his or her body language. She or he will “tell” you if he or she is enjoying play or not very clearly, you just need to be watchful of the signals s/he is sending. To view the complete article, check out our Dear Inquisitive Canine column.

Regarding this readers comments of how she described Bill’s behavior, I wanted to add this about what to watch for:

From what you’ve described it appears you have a very keen eye for details of Bill’s body language and that you’re “listening” to what he is saying. I say bravo! Bill is excited to play with the larger dogs and appears bored with the smaller dogs. Although I haven’t witnessed their romping social functions myself, I’d like to first address your comments “hardly pays attention to us, and becomes the center of attention as he runs around with a pack of big dogs playfully chasing him all over.”

• Make sure you are still the center of Bill’s universe. He can certainly run off and play with his friends, but work on a nice (and more reliable) “coming when called” so he learns to check in with you more often. It’ll be rewarding for him, while enhancing the bond you share. Plus, if you need him to come back to you, for whatever reason, he’s more likely to want to. For additional information on teaching your dog to come when called, check out these dog training tips on Recall (aka: coming when called).
• Make sure Bill isn’t being targeted or ganged up on. Even if Bill keeps going back for more, sometimes "horseplay leads to tragedy" (as our mothers taught us). One dog can end up being the recipient of all that exuberant doggy energy. You’ll want to make sure the dogs are interrupting themselves, or you interrupt before the built-up energy takes the group past the point of no return. Note: you’ll want to check with the daycare staff that play is being monitored carefully for appropriate play.

For the remainder of this Dear Inquisitive Canine article, as well as additional dog behavior advice columns written by Poncho the dog and yours truly, check out the local Noozhawk website.

I have to say, this dog guardian was superb on watching out for the safety of her dog Bill and “listening” to what he was saying. I would nominate her to be the dog park playground monitor if she were ever interested

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A Simple Dog Adoption Question

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As a positive reinforcement, reward-based certified professional Ventura dog trainer, I am always looking for a "Good Dog!" moment - not just for my own dog Poncho the dog, but for all dogs... It just pains me when I witness dog guardians looking at their dogs any other way. Maybe its all in how you look at it. Im not sure of the kind of relationship they have with their dog. 

Just twice this week its happened again. First in my own neighborhood, I heard someone address their dog with "Hey you good for nothing dog." I say to myself "HUH?" Then I was just thankful the pooch didnt speak english. He just felt the scratch under his chin... 

The second incident was a woman and her dog at a very large and popular park where dogs are allowed off leash during certain hours. Well, it seems this woman was leaving the park...her dog was walking nicely with her. But then the pooch started to walk in a different direction. Not back to the area with the other dogs... just not with his (or her) guardian. 

The woman started berating this poor pooch over and over. Yelling at it to "Come here right now!" In a very deep threatening voice... Yikes! No wonder the dog wanted to go the other way! I would have high-tailed it out of there too! Geez - I wanted to go over my "recall rules" like I do in my dog training classes, but thought better of it - not the challenge I wanted. Plus, I was out for a run, and she hadnt hired me as a private dog trainer in Ventura. If she had, I would have given her the five rules:

1. Only call your dog for something pleasant, otherwise, just go get your dog. 
2. Use your happy voice and body language to get them to want to come running. 
3. Only call them when you know youre going to get them to come. Otherwise youre just wasting your breath, and probably getting more frustrated. 
4. If you thought you were going to "get it" and didnt. Go get your dog, take them to where you called them from, and reward them.
5. Throw a party - if you called them and they came running! 

So my BIG BOLD question, based upon the relationship you have with your dog is: 

If the situation were reversed, 

would your dog have adopted YOU? 

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Simple Steps Dog Knows To Obey You

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Aggressive behaviors, excessive barking and general disobedience are annoying to a dog owner. These bad habits can be changed. While it might not be possible to completely eliminate these behaviors, applying the advice in this article will still train the dog to a large degree. With dedicated effort, it is possible to transform any dog into a perfect pet.

To have success in dog training, you need to be able to control it with commands. Put yourself in an authoritative position, so that your dog knows to obey you. For example, when you walk your dog you must be in front and you should insist your dog follows behind you.



 Ideally, training should begin during a dogs puppy years. This isnt always true, but the younger the animal, the more responsive to training he is. If you train your dog when he is young, then he will grow up behaving well.

 Do not let the pressures of your day or life influence how you speak to your dog when you are training. Start the training session with good feelings and expectations. Only correct your dog after he has done something you dont want him to.

 When training your dog, always remember to have fun. Playing with your dog helps build a stronger bond between dog and human, which encourages the dog to respond positively during training. Although dog training can be fun, you dont really want to spend all your time in training mode.

 Always give your dog the tools for success. If you are training it to stop chewing things it shouldnt be chewing on, give it things that it can chew on. Even more so, an inappropriately-chewing dog needs to be protected. Some household items can be harmful to your dog if they are chewed upon.

 Whenever you are teaching a dog a multi-step task, reduce it to a series of smaller tasks. For instance, maybe you are training your dog to fetch the morning paper. You first need to teach him exactly what a newspaper is and then how to hold it. He needs to associate the object with a name. From there, proceed to teach him how to pick the paper up without damaging it. Finally, he should learn to bring the object to you. Splitting a complex task into individual tasks is a good strategy, because the smaller tasks are easier to learn. Afterwards, the dog simply needs to learn to do them in the correct order.

 Dogs can concentrate on one thing intensely and you will have to learn to break his attention. If you keep up with his training, your dog will look to you more often for direction rather than looking to the environment.

 Using a crate is an effective way to house train your dog. Let the dog out on a regular schedule to make the crate training most effective. A dog trained in a create will have less accidents with time.

 Consistency is key during your training sessions. Pick a single word or gesture for each command, action or behavior and use it exclusively. Dogs are able to associate repeated words or actions with the requested response. Consistency is essential to training. Establish a short list of vocabulary associated with communicating with your dog.

 Any behavioral issues that suddenly occur should be checked by a vet to make sure there are no health conditions causing it. Certain health conditions, or even pain, can completely change an animals demeanor. It could even be to the point that the dog may become more aggressive and lash out at people. This behavior is an indicator to humans that there is something wrong.

 Consistency is very important when training your dog. Have a set list of commands that everyone in the household knows. Also, make sure to be on the same page regarding rewarding good behavior and never rewarding bad behavior. Different training methods will only confuse your dog and delay training.

 Although a harness is more comfortable for dogs, it does not offer as much control as a cinch-type collar. Using a collar and harness combo and only tugging on his collar when needed can teach your canine that he has to listen while harnessed, too.

 Make sure that your dog has enough sleeping space, especially when the dog is a big one that likes to sprawl. Think about getting your dog an actual dog bed that fits its larger size; crib mattresses work great, too. There are several advantages to doing this since you are able to change the cover with frequency and ease when using fitted sheets. This is also good because mattresses for cribs are waterproof.

 It is vitally important that your dog is treated in the same manner, given the same commands and rewarded similarly by every member of your family. This is the only way to ensure the training sticks. Consistency is the best method for training a dog. If you train your dog in a certain way while another family member encourages a different behavior, your dog will not know what to do.

 There are many different approaches that can be used to crate train a new puppy. Many dogs are intimidated by the crate. To cure this, place something they enjoy in it and shut the door. If a dog sees something in the crate that they want, they will desire to enter it. Praise your dog once he gets into the crate.

 In the majority of instances, dog bites are caused by a biting phobia. The occurrence is frequently due to a dogs anxiety, claustrophobia, or sense that danger is imminent. Train your dog with praise and discipline, not physical force. This could have the unfortunate effect of causing your dog to bite you. If your dog trusts you, he will want to make you happy and look towards you as a leader.

 Have your dog learn to just hold one of his toys in his mouth, instead of chewing on it immediately. When he puts the toy around his mouth, use a training clicker and offer him a treat. After your dog succeeds in mouthing an object a few times, move on to rewarding the dog for picking it up with his mouth. When he does, just click and then give a reward. After that, only give the reward if he does hold the toy in his mouth.

 Just as a human likes to stretch out and lay on their backs, so do dogs. Therefore, it is essential to have a dog bed big enough for your furry friend. There are big, long dog beds around for larger dogs, or you could look for a mattress taken from a crib. This is a convenient and fun alternative because you have the opportunity to change the appearance of the bed and keep it clean by simply putting a new crib sheet on it every few days. The crib mattresses are also waterproof which means they are highly durable.

 You can prevent your dog from destroying your home by keeping it outdoors when you are away from the house. When this isnt possible, you want to provide things that both appeal to your dog and that are okay for the dog to chew on. Establishing acceptable chews toys is also about keeping those things you do not want your dog to chew up behind closed doors or well out out of reach.

 Dog owners should now realize how easy the battle to train a dog can be when approached correctly. If the owner has the right mindset and good knowledge, they should be able to train a dog with no problem. It is possible for any dog to fulfill its potential and flourish under the tutelage of its master..

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Stay Consistent Simple Methods For Effective Dog Training

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 Training should begin immediately after you have gotten home with your new pet. Training your dog is beneficial to both you and your pet. These suggestions will help you in your pet training efforts.

Introduce new animals to one another very slowly. Weighs the pros and the cons before adopting another pet. For optimal bonding, select a new pet whose personality is similar to that of your current pet.

 Stay consistent when you are trying to train your dog. Make sure everyone knows the right commands to give the dog; keep a list if necessary. Behavior should be rewarded or not depending on the affect that is being sought. Your dog will become very confused if each person responds differently to a single type of behavior. This will make training very hard.



 When you are house training a dog, you may want to use a crate. Let the dog out on a regular schedule to make the crate training most effective. Once your dog has acclimated to the crate, he will be far less accident-prone indoors.

 Dogs have the uncanny ability to have single-minded focus when something catches their attention. Repetition and practice will result in your dog waiting to take cues from you rather than being distracted by other things.

 Everyone in your household needs to be on board for dog training to be effective. While he may have one person who works with him on a regular basis, having everyone be a part of his training will teach him that he must follow the rules of the house at all times, and keep his training more consistent.

 Always get your dogs attention by using his name. To train your dog, you need a certain level of control. Getting them used to their name and coming when you call will help you achieve this. Repeat this several times daily. Also, dont punish your dog if he comes over when you call him by name.

 Teach your pet the proper way to walk on a leash. When they walk properly, it makes both of you safer when you both go walking.

 You need a commanding control if you are starting to train your dog. Your dog will neither obey nor respect you if he believes he is the leader of your household. Never allow your dog pull on the leash while you are on a walk.

 Although there are many benefits to using a harness, you will have less control over your dog than if he is wearing a cinch collar. If you plan on using a harness outside of training, put both that and a collar on your dog during the training process. This will teach him to respond to commands even after the cinching collar is removed.

 Using wee-wee pads is actually counter productive when you are potty training your new puppy. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. Potty pads can also mislead your dog into thinking that similarly shaped items throughout your home, like rugs, are appropriate places to go. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.

 Do not wear out your new puppy with an excessive training regiment. Remember that all dogs have short attention spans and puppies even more so. Hell likely forget everything you taught him if you do too much at once. He will also look at training as a negative experience and it will be harder next time.

 Choose from a range of treats to give your dog as training reward. These treats cannot be confused with every day treats at first, because you need to create a sense of specialness which will encourage the dog to obey your commands, since they know that the treats they will be receiving are out of the ordinary.

 Every dog is unique and is motivated to learn by different things. Dog training can be a learning experience, especially with it comes to determining what motivates your pet. It doesnt matter the reason you want to train your dog, you need to offer a variety of exercises along with positive reinforcement. Any time your dog is happy, you will find they have a better performance.

 Challenge your dog frequently. Give him "quizzes" to make sure he still knows his stuff, even if you both know he does.

 Dogs are just like people; they love hearing the sound of their own names and the use of the name will call them to attention. It is especially important to do this during the first weeks of training, in order to establish that name-attention association. Make the name simple and easy for the puppy to recognize.

 If you will be away from home for any length of time, such as going to work, then you need to make certain you take your dog on a long walk before you leave. Not only do you want your dog to relieve himself, but you also want to make him tired so he relaxes and doesnt suffer from anxiety while youre gone.

 If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, you should encourage him to have connections with others. The dog must develop relationships with others in order to diffuse its unhealthy fixation with you.

 Try not to use wee-wee pads as a tool in potty training your day. The problem with the wee-wee pads is that they leak and leave enzymes from urine and feces behind. The pads may also confuse the dog because of their shape. It could cause the dog to think that a bathroom mat or welcome mat is a place to go potty. The best option is to toilet train your dog outdoors.

 A clicker works well when training most dogs. Using a clicker is as simple as showing your dog that good things happen when the clicking noise is heard. Try using this technique right away, doing it frequently over a span of a few days. Your dog will soon know that the clicking noise means that they are doing a good job.

 Dogs that are well trained are normally happy. Use the advice youve read to start training your dog properly..

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